Uruguay has top AI talent. But it has no local AI fund. Its best AI firms are bootstrapped. Big AI rounds come from abroad. Here are 11 investors backing Montevideo AI startups in 2026.
Uruguay ranks high on AI talent, yet a dedicated local AI fund still does not exist. Most of the strongest AI firms here grow on their own revenue, and Tryolabs is the clearest example of a team that scaled without leaning on venture money.
When the big rounds do land, the cheques almost always come from abroad. Grants from local agencies tend to cover the earliest steps before foreign capital arrives.
You will end up pitching a mix of funds, programs, and grant offices. Ellty keeps your deck, models, and data behind one link so every one of them sees the same up-to-date room.
| Type | Check size | Sector focus | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prosus Ventures | Global corporate VC (Netherlands) | Multi-US$M | AI, generalist tech | prosus.com |
| Factory | AI-specialist VC (US, UY-led) | Pre-seed, seed | AI deep tech | Factory on LinkedIn |
| Endeavor Catalyst | Co-investment fund (US) | Co-invest minority | Tech, generalist | endeavor.org |
| Kaszek | Pan-LatAm VC (Brazil) | US$500K-$25M | AI, fintech, consumer | kaszek.com |
| monashees | Pan-LatAm VC (Brazil) | US$250K-$5M | AI, consumer, SaaS | monashees.com |
| NXTP Ventures | Pan-LatAm B2B VC (Argentina) | US$500K-$5M | AI, B2B, SaaS | nxtp.vc |
| Cometa | LatAm VC (Mexico) | Seed to Series A | AI, data, fintech | cometa.vc |
| Magma Partners | Pan-LatAm VC (Chile) | US$50K-$5M | AI, fintech, SaaS | magmapartners.com |
| ANII / Uruguay Innovation Hub | Govt grants + co-invest (UY) | US$75K-$500K | Deep tech, AI, biotech | anii.org.uy |
| ANDE | Govt grant agency (UY) | Seed grants | Innovation, generalist | ande.org.uy |
| IDB Lab | DFI (development bank) | Via funds and programs | Deep tech, AI, inclusion | bidlab.org |
Pitch AI funds from one link
AI investors study your models, data, and edge fast. Ellty shows who opened your numbers so you follow up first.
Start free 14-day trialWhat an AI investor backs
An AI investor wants to see real models and real data, not slideware. A clear and defensible edge matters more to them than almost anything else on the page.
They will dig into your costs and your moat before they get excited. Scale has to look real, with a path that holds up when the numbers grow.
A clear pitch deck helps a lot, especially when it pairs the story with live traction. Walk them through what is already working rather than what you hope will work.
Ellty gives each fund a single link to that material, and nothing falls out of date between meetings. You also see exactly who opens your deck and how far they read.
This was the best team to seize this AI opportunity in Latin America, with an exceptional group of investors and advisors.
11 Montevideo AI investors
1. Prosus Ventures
Prosus backs AI startups worldwide.
Recent Activity: Led Zapia's US$7M seed extension in 2026
Sector Focus: AI, generalist tech
Stage Focus: Seed to growth
Check Size: Multi-US$M
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: prosus.com
2. Factory
Factory is an AI-specialist VC fund.
Recent Activity: Led AI startup BrainLogic's US$5M pre-seed
LinkedIn: Factory LinkedIn
Sector Focus: AI deep tech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: Pre-seed, seed
Location: Silicon Valley, USA
Website: Factory on LinkedIn
3. Endeavor Catalyst
Endeavor's fund co-invests in scale-ups.
Recent Activity: Backed AI startup BrainLogic
Sector Focus: Tech, generalist
Stage Focus: Series A+
Check Size: Co-invest minority
Location: New York, USA
Website: endeavor.org
4. Kaszek
Kaszek is LatAm's largest VC fund.
Recent Activity: AI-heavy; no confirmed UY AI deal
LinkedIn: Kaszek LinkedIn
Sector Focus: AI, fintech, consumer
Stage Focus: Seed to pre-IPO
Check Size: US$500K-$25M
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Website: kaszek.com
5. monashees
monashees backs AI and consumer tech.
Recent Activity: Runs a dedicated AI team
Sector Focus: AI, consumer, SaaS
Stage Focus: Pre-seed to Series B
Check Size: US$250K-$5M
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Website: monashees.com
Give each AI fund one trackable link
Ellty logs when a fund opens your data room. Chase the keen ones first, not days too late.
Start free 14-day trial6. NXTP Ventures
NXTP backs B2B and AI startups.
Recent Activity: Backed Montevideo's Drone.uy
Sector Focus: AI, B2B, SaaS
Stage Focus: Pre-seed to Series A
Check Size: US$500K-$5M
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Website: nxtp.vc
7. Cometa
Cometa backs AI and data startups.
Recent Activity: Led AI startup Numia's round
LinkedIn: Cometa LinkedIn
Sector Focus: AI, data, fintech
Stage Focus: Series A
Check Size: Seed to Series A
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Website: cometa.vc
8. Magma Partners
Magma backs AI and fintech founders.
Recent Activity: Led AI startup Plaza's pre-seed
LinkedIn: Magma Partners LinkedIn
Sector Focus: AI, fintech, SaaS
Stage Focus: Pre-seed to Series A
Check Size: US$50K-$5M
Location: Santiago, Chile
Website: magmapartners.com
9. ANII / Uruguay Innovation Hub
ANII backs deep tech with grants.
Recent Activity: Runs deep-tech matching funds
LinkedIn: Uruguay Innovation Hub LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Deep tech, AI, biotech
Stage Focus: Early
Check Size: US$75K-$500K
Location: Montevideo, Uruguay
Website: anii.org.uy
10. ANDE
ANDE gives seed grants to founders.
Recent Activity: Runs Semilla ANDE seed grants
Sector Focus: Innovation, generalist
Stage Focus: Idea, early
Check Size: Seed grants
Location: Montevideo, Uruguay
Website: ande.org.uy
11. IDB Lab
IDB Lab funds regional deep tech.
Recent Activity: Backs regional deep-tech programs
LinkedIn: IDB Lab LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Deep tech, AI, inclusion
Stage Focus: Early
Check Size: Via funds and programs
Location: Washington, USA
Website: bidlab.org
Why AI money comes from abroad
Uruguay still has no AI-only fund of its own, so the largest cheques almost always cross a border to reach you. The local market simply does not yet hold enough capital to lead a big AI round on its own.
Zapia is a good illustration, since it raised from foreign funds rather than domestic ones. Prosus led its 2026 round, and that pattern repeats across the strongest local startups.
The practical takeaway is to court global funds early, well before you actually need their money. For a related view, see our fintech investors guide, which covers many of the same cross-border dynamics.
Ellty shows you who is genuinely studying your deck instead of leaving you to guess. You can track every open in one place and time your follow-ups around real interest.
How grants back AI here
ANII runs the Uruguay Innovation Hub, which backs deep tech and AI at the earliest stages. It is often the first source of non-dilutive money a local AI team can reach.
The Hub even matches private cash, so a small commitment can pull in more. Grants like these extend your runway without giving away equity before you have to.
The smart play is to pair grants with a proper raise rather than treating them as a substitute. Keep your investor relations warm in parallel so the venture conversation never goes cold.
Ellty logs who reads your numbers and how long they spend there. That signal shows you real intent, not just polite interest.
Raising AI money in Montevideo
Start by mapping the global funds and grant programs that actually fit your stage. Line up warm intros to each one rather than sending cold pitches into the void.
Run clean due diligence prep before anyone asks for it. Being ready early builds trust fast and keeps momentum on your side.
Keep every document in one virtual data room so nothing lives in scattered folders. From there you can share the whole set in a single click.
Ellty logs reads with document analytics so you always know who is paying attention. Lock sensitive files with granular permissions so each fund sees only what it should.
How to pitch an AI investor
Show real models and data.
- 1.Show real models and data.Bring the actual models and the data behind them, not just a story about what they might do. Proving the edge is genuinely yours is what separates a real AI pitch from a deck full of buzzwords.
- 2.Map your costs and moat.Lay out your unit economics and where the real defensibility sits in plain terms. Keeping the numbers clear and honest earns far more trust than glossing over the hard parts.
- 3.Name your raise and runway.State exactly how much you are raising and how many months it buys you. Keeping the ask tight and specific signals that you have thought the plan through.
- 4.Send one Ellty link to your deck.Share a single trackable Ellty link instead of email attachments that drift out of date. You then see who digs in and how far they read, so you know exactly when to follow up.
How Ellty helps you land an AI investor in Montevideo
You have your Montevideo AI list ready. Set up a data room first.
- 1.Upload your deck, models, and data.Set access per fund.
- 2.Share one trackable link per fund.Each fund gets a unique link.
- 3.Watch opens and reply on time.Use analytics to time each nudge.
Montevideo AI investor questions
- Foreign funds and grants. Few are local.
- No, the bench is thin. Cheques come from abroad.
- It is a bootstrapped firm. It took little outside cash.
- Yes, ANII backs deep tech. It even matches cash.
- Seed runs US$1M to $7M. Grants add early cash.
- Before your first investor call. Track who opens your deck.
